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Rare May tropical storm could form in the Gulf of Mexico this week

The National Hurricane Center gives the system a 40% chance of developing into a tropical storm or subtropical storm within the next five days. If it gets a name, it would be Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named system of the year.

A rare May tropical storm could form in the Gulf of Mexico this week, the National Hurricane Center said.

Specifically, the center gives the system a 40% chance of developing into a tropical storm or subtropical storm within the next five days.

AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said although water temperatures are barely warm enough to fuel a storm, "it is possible the system becomes a subtropical depression or storm if it creates a well-defined and strong enough wind field."

A subtropical storm has elements of both a tropical and non-tropical weather system. A depression occurs when its winds are less than 39 mph; once it reaches 39 mph, it becomes a named storm.

If it gets a name, it would be Alberto, the first named storm of the year.

Regardless of whether a named storm occurs, a persistent flow of humid, tropical air will help funnel rain this week into Florida and across much of the eastern U.S.

Gulf system broad, disorganized. Center of action over FL then GA with heavy rains, risk of localized flooding much of week. Chances of cyclone formation and tropical storm conditions on land too small for now for @NHC_Atlantic to issue advisories on potential tropical cyclone. pic.twitter.com/4lW1uDsdzl

The Weather Prediction Center said showers and thunderstorms will slowly move northward into the Southeast and into the central Gulf Coast by Tuesday evening.

The rain is welcome in parts of Florida, as more than 26% of the state is in a moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. However, the rain could be too much of a good thing, as flash flooding is possible throughout the state.

Soaking rains will make it as far north as the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic: "Tropical moisture flowing northward into the area combined with a stalled front will yield the unsettled weather in places such as Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia through much of the week," said AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.

More Major League Baseball rainouts are possible this week, wreaking additional havoc to a schedule already disrupted by a record number of postponements in April.

Named storms in May in the Gulf are exceedingly rare: The most recent named storm to form in the Gulf of Mexico in May was a subtropical storm in 1976, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach. He said only four named storms have formed in the Gulf of Mexico in May since records began in 1851.